Dirty Data Recovery Job for someone.

[edutchie]

All right first I'll be honest and you be nice, or at least try.
I am a complete noob, and I have committed every HDD sin.
I had a WD 500gb Cavair Green drive that failed and I needed data now.
Backups?
This drive was in a MS Small Business Server environment.
My tech who set it up had set the backup to the an old Quickbooks file.
What I did-
I took the cover off here in my office, peeped in, and saw that the head was hanging down from the top arm.
I found a WD 500gb Cavair Black that "looked" the same, set up a "filtered" air supply, got me some gloves and poked holes in a clear garbage bag, and smugly proceeded to put the platter from the Green drive into the Black drive.
Also replaced the circuit board from the Green drive into the Black drive.
All went well until I plugged the drive in.
No go.
Surprise.
Now I am asking you guys what to do, who to offer the job of cleaning the disk and recovering the 1 Quickbooks file I need so badly.

My sanity is at stake.

[msurgeon]

Let me get this straight: how many platters were in the Green drive? If just one, then this deal is still possible. If more than one, begin re-keying your Quickbooks data. No need to criticize your technique here; I think you realize how badly you screwed this up. At any rate, answer the first question and we'll see where to go from there.

[jono-ats]

I'm sorry that this isn't a directly helpful question, but I'm curious . . . what prompted you to try it yourself? A YouTube video?

[edutchie]

msurgeon- There is only one platter.

jono-ats- youtube did not make me do this. I only went there afterwards.
My naivety and DIY genes are to blame.

[northwind]

This could still be possible, IMHO. You understand this will cost you x-times more than what it'd cost if you sent it to a pro at the very beginning, right?

If you didn't damage platter, then it could need it cleaned and heads installed.

This is a fairly tough one.
I suggest you send your stuff to Jono-ats. If someone can do this, that's him.

[jono-ats]

Thanks, Northwind, for you vote of confidence.

We won't charge you more (we have flat rates), but there is a $100 charge for opened drives regardless of outcome.

[edutchie]

jono-ats, - Please call me [phone number removed as no longer relevant to the thread]

[dick]

Hey I kind of understand the diy genes bit but why did you choose to swap the platter when it was the damaged headstack which obviously required swapping out? Most likely the platter now has media damage of some kind.
Good luck anyway!

[edutchie]

dick- I thought I have to remove the platter to get the heads out.
Why then not just let the heads there and ease the platter out and into a new home?
(reminder- I'm honest and you're nice)

[pcimage]

This could still be possible, IMHO. You understand this will cost you x-times more than what it'd cost if you sent it to a pro at the very beginning, right?

If you didn't damage platter, then it could need it cleaned and heads installed.

This is a fairly tough one.
I suggest you send your stuff to Jono-ats. If someone can do this, that's him.

I also suggest sending to jon.

[edutchie]

Drive arrived at Jon's facility.
Will keep you posted on results.

[northwind]

Go Jon Go!

[pcimage]

Go Jon Go!

Nothing like a bit of spotlight pressure!!!

[Nicky]

It like American Idol go jono go

Your fan
??????????????

[jono-ats]

I've got the drive restored to working condition and the resources backed up. We're in the process of copying data from the drive (slowly). However, the game ain't over 'till it's over . . .

Jono

[northwind]

[pcimage]

Nice one!

[Nick_CT]

Kudos

[warnerr]

AMAZING!!!

[dpc]

Assuming jono pulls it off, this thread needs to be a sticky in the DIY thread.